Driver hits pole in parking lot, claims Walmart should pay

PORTSMOUTH — A Maine man who drove into a light pole in a Walmart parking lot claims the pole is in a "hazardous location” and he’s filed a court claim against Walmart for damages to his pickup truck.

Elizabeth Dinan

PORTSMOUTH — A Maine man who drove into a light pole in a Walmart parking lot claims the pole is in a "hazardous location” and he’s filed a court claim against Walmart for damages to his pickup truck.

Richard Griswold, of Kennebunk, filed a small claims complaint in Portsmouth District Court alleging he’s owed $2,918 for repairs to his 1997 Chevy S10 for damage caused by driving into the light pole.

According to his complaint, Griswold drove to the front of the Walmart store at 2000 Woodbury Avenue in Newington, let a passenger out at the front door, then “drove into a free-standing pole.” Griswold tells the court the configuration of the parking lot and location of the pole created a hazardous condition causing him to drive into the pole.

He alleges a store employee told him there were six accidents involving the same pole within five months and that Walmart “failed to reconfigure their parking area” after purchasing the property from a previous owner.

A second store employee told him the lot is “not a normal configured lot,” he also claims.

The crash occurred in May when Griswold brought his truck to an auto body shop for $2,918.05 worth of repairs, according to receipts he provided to the court. The receipts show repairs included work on a license plate bracket, chrome grill, bumper, lamps, hood, radiator support and bug deflector.

Walmart is contesting the claim and during a Portsmouth District Court hearing was represented by corporate counsel Brad Lewis. Judge Sawako Gardner presided over the hearing and has taken the matter under advisement.

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